Self-steering mechanism for tractors



Feb. 8, 1938. F` J, [RLBECK 2,107,535

SELF STEERING MECHANISM FOR TRACTORS Filed May 24, 1957 INVENTOR.

F. L] RLBBI'JK A ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 SELF-STEERING MECHANISM FCR TRAC- TORS Frank J. Irlbeck Dedham, Iowa Application May 24, 1937, Serial N0. 144,343

3 Claims.

The principal object ofv` my invention is to provide a steering apparatus for plowing tractors or like that follows the plowV furrow ceding round, thereby automatica of the prelly and properly steering the tractor around the field without the steering aid of the operator of th A further object of this inventi e tractor. on is to provide a self-steering device for tractors that is easily attached to or detached from a tractor.

A still further object of this provide an automatic steering tractors that may be quickly and invention is to mechanism for easilyv moved to an inoperative position when desire-d.

A still further objectof my invention is to provide a device for steering tractors that is economical in in use.

These and other objects will those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the during plowing manufacture and durable be apparent to construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the are attained as hereinafter more objects contemplated fully set forth,

pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device.

Fig. 2 is a front View of my tractor guiding device and more fully illustrates its construction.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the means employed for lowering and raising the guiding wheel portion of the device.

Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating the method ing unit of a tractor.

Plowing with tractors is not of a portion of my device of securing it to the steeronly very tiresome, but it is very dilcult to keep the tractor in proper spaced relationship to the previous plow furrow. Obviously, tinuously occupied the operator with this proper guiding of must be conthe tractor. One reason for this trouble in properly steering the tractor is that most tractors have their two front wheels very close together and these wheels unplowed ground are required to some distance furrow made in the preceding round.

overcome such objections as appreciated.

will

travel over the from the plow I have hereinafter be Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral I0 to designate a tracto-r having rear wheels l I, and front guiding wheels I2, which are closely spaced apart and rotatably mounted in the hub unit I3 ably secured will now describe. The numeral which in turn is horizontally rotatto the tractor frame. a tractor that I install my device It is to such and which I I4 designates a bar detachably secured at its center to the bottom of the hub unit I3 of the tractor by bolts or like as shown in the drawing. This bar extends longitudinally of the tractor when the tractor is traveling in a straight path and is positioned between the two front guiding wheels I2 of the tractor. The numeral I5 designates a bearing member rotatably mounted on the rear end portion of the elongated bar I4.

The numeral I6 designates a similar bearing member rotatably mounted on the forward end portion of the bar i4. The numeral I'I designates a U-shaped beam having one of its ends rigidly secured to the bearing member I5 and its other end rigidly secured to the bearing member I6. 'I'he numeral I8 designates a hub rigidly secured to thecentral portion of the beam I'I as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral I9 designates a strengthening brace secured to the beam I'I and to the hub I8. This hub i8 extends outwardly from the beam I7 and is arranged transversely of the longitudinal 'axis of the bar I4. The numeral 20 designates a grease fitting in the hub I8. The numeral 2I designates a wheel having its axle rotatably mounted in the hub I8. The beam I l, hub I8, and wheel 2I are so designed and arranged that the wheel 2I will directly precede the right rear wheel II of the tractor and be in substantially the same plane as this rear wheel I I as shown in Fig. 2. As the wheel 2| is designed to travel in a plow furrow while the two front wheels I2 of the tractor travel over the unplowed ground, the bottom plane of the wheel 2| will be substantially below the bottom plane of the two tractor wheels I2.

Obviously, when my device is so Secured to a tractor pulling a plow or plows, the wheel 2| of my device will travel in the furrow made by the last plow in the preceding round. The tendency of this wheel 2I will be to follow this track or furrow made by the plow and in following this furrow it will rotate the bar I4 and U-shaped beam I'I in a horizontal plane secured to and relative to the direction or directions taken by the furrow in which the wheel 2I functions. As the hub unit of the tractor wheels I2 is rigidly secured tothe bar I4, when the bar I4 is rotated in a horizontal plane by the action` of the wheel 2| following the furrow, the front guiding wheels I2 of the tractor will be accordingly guided, thereby successfully steering the tractor without the attention of the operator of the tracor.

Although in the drawing I show my wheel 2I in alignment with the rear right wheel of the tractor, obviously the wheel 2I may be positioned at any desired distance from the front wheels |2 of the tractor depending upon the distance it is desired that the tractor be from or relative to the furrow made by the preceding round of the tractor or plow.

By the beam having its two ends vertically rotatably mounted on the bar I4, the Wheel 2| may move upwardly or downwardly independently of the tractor as it passes over uneven ground without affecting in any way its steering function. Another advantage of this rotatable mounting of the beam I'I to the bar I4 is that when desired the wheel 2|, hub I8, and bearn I'I may be swung upwardly to an inoperative position with the wheel 2| free of engagement with the earth. In the drawing, I show this control of the device by cable 22 having one end secured to a ring 23 on the hub i8 and its other end secured to an ordinary lockable lever 24 secured -to the frameA of the tractor and positioned in the vicinity of the operator of the tractor. The numeral 25 designates a pulley wheel through which the cable extends and which is secured to the front end portion of the tractor by a bracket 26. By this arrangement the cable extends rst upwardly and inwardly from the hub I8 and then rearwardly to the lever To place the device in an inoperative condition it is merely necessary for the operator to move the lever 24 to the rear. To place the device in an operative condition the operator moves the lever 24 forwardly to permit the wheel 2| to contact the ground. The weight of the Wheel 2|, hub I8 and beam I1 are sufficient to hold the wheel 2| in proper frictional contact with the ground.

The upward and downward movement of the U-shaped beam I? does not interfere with the right front wheel I2 of the tractor as the two end portions of the beam extend in spaced relationship to the front and rear of the wheel re spectively. Obviously, my device is adaptable to any type of tractor by adjustment of the U- shaped beam I'I to give desired clearance. I have accomplished this by having the threaded ferrules 2 imposed in each leg of the U-shaped beam I1 scthat it may be lengthened or shortened as desired to fit the various types of tractors.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved self-steering mechanism for tractors without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified rorms of structure or use of mechanical i equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tractor having two front guiding and supporting wheels, an auxiliary steering apparatus comprising a horizontal bar operatively connected near its center to said guiding wheels, a U-shaped member having its two ends vertically rotatably mounted on said bar, and a wheel rotatably mounted on and near the center portion of said U-shaped member.

2. In combination with a tractor having two front guiding and supporting wheels, an auxiliary steering apparatus comprising a horizontal bar operatively connected near its center to said guiding wheels, a U-shaped member having its two ends vertically rotatably mounted on said bar, and a wheel rotatably mounted on and near the center portion of said U-shaped member spaced apart from and embracing one of said guiding wheels.

3. In combination with a tractor having two front guiding and supporting wheels, an auxiliary steering apparatus comprising a horizontal bar operatively connected near its center to said guiding wheeis, a U-shaped member having its two ends vertically rotatably mounted on said bar, wheel rotatably mounted Von and near the center portion of said U-shaped member spaced apart from and embracing one of said guiding wheels, and a means for lowering and raising the central portion of said U-shaped member.

FRANK J. IRLBECK. 

